If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
by SimpleCinema
Summary: After a mishap in battle, Edelgard begins to question herself. Worried for her group leader, Dorothea comes to help, unearthing some hidden feelings in Edelgard. (Smut/Fluff/With Feelings/Body Dysmorphia/Validation)


Edelgard had been focusing far too intensely on her training to notice that she was now the only one there. The sounds of grunts, clangs, heavy breathing, and idle chit-chat amongst her peers all became white noise once she started working hard enough to sweat. It had been hours since the only other students there had left to catch a meal, but to her, those hours went by as if they were mere minutes. Now, as twilight threatened to take it's leave for the blanket of the night, she finally decided it was enough for one day.

During the last skirmish, a mock battle with the other houses that they had won by a decent margin, Edelgard still somehow managed to come close to being knocked against a tree by a careless member of the Golden Deer's cavalry. If not for an unidentified rogue spell that whipped her assailant aside long enough for her to incapacitate them, she could've been seriously injured. She had overcome, but only by the slimmest of margins. She discussed it with her professor afterward, but he merely noted that it was a combination of luck and an easy mistake anyone could've made. In theory these words would console her, but they seemed to bounce right off of her. She had duties, responsibilities to fulfill, relying on luck to fight her battles? Nonsense. She had to get stronger, to make sure luck wasn't something she ever needed in order to secure victory.

Her sharp focus on this task, however, was her undoing. She simply hadn't realized just how tired she became until she stopped, the last ounces of motivation and adrenaline faded quickly. Her muscles ached. She was coated in a thin layer of sweat from head to toe. Her vision even became slightly blurry, forgetting something to help stay hydrated was also not entirely helpful. She had made an uncharacteristically brash chain of decision making today, swapping one form of perceived inadequacy for another. Perhaps this was how Caspar felt all the time, if only she could've somehow harnessed the boy's limitless enthusiasm.

Though, the weight of leadership was heavy, she remembered. The others didn't have to worry about what she did, of course they were more carefree. Not to dismiss their accomplishments, but Edelgard blamed herself more than anything. Even if it did mean more work, and harder work, it was still her fault for not rising to the occasion. She could not let anyone down, not even herself.

She wanted to move but upon sitting on the steps that faced opposite of the entranceway, inaction proved too tempting. She always liked nights like this, mostly still, interrupted occasionally by a faint breeze to refresh her ever so slightly. She didn't have to worry about doing anything or planning anything, the few hours she had before she went to bed were the ones she valued more than anything.

She stared longingly into the presently color-shifting sky. It was a beautiful sight, that brief moment where darkness and light seemed to intermingle before one overtook the other. It was inevitable, simple, and beautiful. Being a noble meant a lot of things, but her circumstances were so far removed from the opulence nobility typically yielded that she liked to think she didn't take anything for granted, especially small things like that. The beauty of the natural world, another incentive to become stronger.

"Hey, Edie?" a light and sing-songy voice rang out from the entrance.

Edelgard had been too busy staring and letting her mind wander that she didn't even hear anyone open the large wooden doors. However, only one of the doors were cracked open, and someone stood in the small gap in the newly found opening.

Dorothea.

She looked as she always did, highly presentable. There was something about the way that girl presented herself that made her inexplicably alluring, and in a very minor sense, infuriating. Her hat, her clothes, her beautiful auburn brown hair that seemed like it required a lot of up-keep, and it was all permanently affixed to the girl. Even after gruesome battles, she always had some sort of divine air about her. She was a mage, and as so didn't often get too close to the grittier part of combat others did, but on the battlefield, no part is one of little significance. Though she never would admit it out loud, she was jealous of the girl in that respect. Not because of her innate beauty by itself, but the confidence she wore it all with, and the respect it earned her. She may have been highly sought after by more than a few skirt-chasers, but her wit and ability to see past any facade sent anyone unworthy running into the ocean. Dorothea had all the ingredients for an absolutely dreadful person, a vain snob who enjoyed toying with people, but the ingredients simply didn't make what was expected. Instead she was kind, funny, charismatic, and sharper than a silver sword.

"Yes? Do you need something?" Edelgard responded rather flatly due to her continued shortness of breath.

Dorothea stopped leaning inward from the door and stepped inside the training grounds, holding a small silver flask. She waved it playfully at her.

"Figured you'd want something to drink. People have been running in and out of here all day, afraid to approach the mighty Edelgard," she jested, "some people were very worried you would dehydrate,"

Edelgard gave a smile that quickly escaped into a bit of a sigh.

"Hubert?" she asked.

Dorothea smiles and nodded, making her way over. Within a few steps, she tossed the flask over to Edelgard, landing at her feet.

She happily picked it up and immediately unscrewed the top, and drank in a manner she could only deem 'gluttonous'. She probably sounded like an animal gulping it all down, but she was sorely out of 'damns' to give, even in front of who many would consider to be one of the most beautiful women in Gareg Mach.

Dorothea gave a tiny giggle.

"Good thing old Hubie is always looking out for you, he would've approached you himself, but he was still a bit torn up over what happened,"

Edelgard put the now-empty flask down, tasing her eyebrow.

"What do you mean 'what happened'?"

Dorothea looked a bit more concerned.

"Well, during the skirmish he saw what happened, and ever since he's been a bit on edge, really beating himself up over not being there to help you,"

Edelgard's expression softened, staring back at the dirt ground before her. Her attendant had been there for her in every instance possible, the only reason he wasn't nearby her was because of his orders, it was far from his fault, but she knew that wouldn't stop him from being self critical. His loyalty proved to be more of a boon against him whenever he did something wrong, however minor. Breaking a streak was always tough, but he'd recover and pull himself together.

"It's okay Edie, I think we both know he's gonna be alright come tomorrow morning," she took the opportunity to sit down next to her on the steps, putting her hand on her shoulder, "So you want to tell me what's REALLY bothering you?"

She looked up at Dorothea, a warm inviting glow almost emanating from her face. The question however, caught her off guard.

"What's really bothering me? I'm afraid I don't understand," she posed, puzzled.

"Well," Dorothea began, "I think you may have given it away when you decided to do impromptu training out here for almost 6 hours. That's not exactly normal behavior for you... or, well, anyone, you know?"

She did have a point, but Edelgard merely thought the other students wouldn't make much of it. It was only natural that she train hard in order to lead, but even an emperor had his or her limits.

"You have a point," she responded, "Although I suppose it's fairly obvious. I was upset with my subpar performance in the battle, and in my frustration, I came here... maybe only partially to train. It may have helped that I find practicing axe techniques quite cathartic,"

Dorothea nodded in understanding.

"We all make mistakes, Edie," she said, "Sometimes people are just unlucky no matter what, there's millions of tiny variables in battle, not even the professor could account for all of those,"

It was funny considering he had said almost those same words to Edelgard earlier. They were as effective as before, that is to say, not very, but she appreciated Dorothea's kindness.

"I understand, but maybe next time it won't be a mock battle, and there won't be a random rogue spell to save me. Luck is good on it's own, but only fools depend on it,"

Dorothea laughed, perplexing Edelgard for a moment.

"You're not wrong, but maybe consider that it was more than just a rogue spell,"

She wrinkled her brow.

"But I saw it myself it was-"

"No silly," the lively girl interrupted, "It wasn't luck, it was your allies,"

"I... fail to see-"

Dorothea shook her head.

"That wasn't luck. I saw that you were I danger and I helped. I had a good vantage point just like the professor advised me to have, and I even took your advice about flanking to avoid attention. I was watching you, Caspar, and Ferdinand all at once,"

"Well... I... wait. It was you? You saved me?"

Dorothea's smile didn't fade but she rolled her eyes.

"Of course! But if you could see me, then that would've meant the enemy could too, I'm trying to lay low now. I mean sure you can call it 'luck' but I just call that being a part of a good team,"

She understood the girl's point. It wasn't really a matter of luck, it was about coherency. Structure. Planning. Strategy. Strength alone would never save her, but her comrades in arms working as a cohesive unit, no luck in the world could beat that.

"If anything I messed up letting him get that close, so don't fret," she said, "and don't come out here exhausting yourself every night. You're our leader! We can't be under the leadership of someone whose dehydrated and tired, y'know?"

Dorothea had an amicable way of putting these things in a manner that Edelgard would understand, but they were also things that never would've crossed her mind. That very input, that was what she meant. Operating as a unit. A plethora of ideas and strategies forming together.

"I do understand," Edelgard said with a confident nod, "And I suppose I never got a proper chance to thank you then, so you have my gratitude,"

Both girls finally smiled.

"No problem! Just doing my duty," she said half-teasingly, "not that I'll go all Hubie on you and start lamenting if I'm not stapled to you,"

Edelgard laughed. She appreciated her attendant very much, but it was quite often when she found herself telling him to pursue an interest of her own outside of her.

"Don't worry," she said, "He means well,"

Dorothea gave a wry smile, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh I'm sure he does. He means a LOT of things I bet, for his beloved lady Edelgard,"

If she had still been drinking water she'd have spit it out right then, the statement still slightly knocked the wind out of her.

"B-beloved? I am nothing of the sort!" She said in protest.

Dorothea backed off just a bit.

"Okay, Okay, But are you suuuure? Maybe YOU don't feel that way, but maybe he does?"

It was something she thought about before, but had confronted him about it in the past. He had sworn to be truthful, and said his feelings didn't extend beyond loyalty and a sense of friendly kinship. His unflinching honesty was his most reliable quality, so it was easy to take at face value.

"Very. I've such little time for those matters anyway, not that it's of much importance these days,"

Dorothea scoffed.

"These days? It's always important! Though I can't say I'm surprised, you're the heir to the throne, and you're a model of poise, I bet you don't even have a passing interest in it to begin with,"

That part stung Edelgard a little bit, though she wasn't initially sure why. Perhaps it was because she knew she wasn't the most approachable person in the world. Some people thought her to be quite icy, but the truth was that she was simply goal oriented and focused, she had a very small social circle, but she desperately wished that weren't the case. Her lack of charm was something she cursed, as she had many similar interests and urges that girls her age had, but her desire to express these things was minimal as to not ruin people's perception. She liked how she seemed to be respected, but she still wanted to be seen as a person, and couldn't quite get a hold of the middle ground.

"Well... I wouldn't say I don't have ANY interest," she said, trying to verbalize her internal struggle.

Dorothea's eyes widened.

"Oh really? Well now I GOTTA know, who are you crushing on? Is there anyone you fancy?"

She hadn't really thought that one through.

"Well, er, I mean... what I meant to say was that I'm interested in pursuing that kind of relationship, I haven't really had much thought as to 'who' that might end up being,"

Dorothea nodded, the gears in her head turning as she looked at the head of the Black Eagles. Her softness seemed to fade, but it was like she was attempting to rummage through Edelgard's brain. She figured there's must've been someone, ANYONE that caught her attention, but Edelgard didn't falter in the slightest. Impenetrable as always.

"Well, guess that means there's someone out there somewhere who doesn't know how lucky they are!"

Edelgard blushed a bit.

"I wouldn't go THAT far," she said with a bit of reservation.

"Why not? You're a catch Edie! You're royalty, for one, you're beautiful, you're strong, give yourself a bit more credit!"

Edelgard laughed with a slight nervous twinge.

"Thank you, Dorothea. With compliments like that perhaps YOU might be the lucky one,"

She said that almost without thinking, reflexively, even.

"Pffft I'm not that lucky, but who knows?" She said, her playful smile returning.

Before Edelgard could fully process what both girls had just said to one another, Dorothea stood up with a bit of vigor, and yawned.

"Well, unless you need me to carry you back to your quarters I think I'm gonna try and catch some sleep! I've been up forever and I always sleep better knowing I've got a day off!" She said.

She turned to face Edelgard, looking down at her. The darkness had found time to claim the night in full while they had their conversation, so the light of the pale moon reflected in the woman's eyes. She looked like a cold, spectral beauty amidst the void.

"If you ever need to talk about anything, just ask, okay?" She said with a wink, and made her way back to the door.

Edelgard watched as she walked further and further away, mesmerized by the way she carried herself. Her long legs, her full hair, the curves of her body.

They had just flirted. Edelgard had flirted with a woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She should've been having the best sleep of her entire life, and instead she was wide awake, pacing back and forth in her quarters.

Dorothea was beautiful.

She never really knew what constituted the line between appreciation and attraction. There was simply a level that which every human being was beautiful, and regardless of one's own feelings, there was recognition of that beauty. However, she simply couldn't get Dorothea's face out of her mind. It was affixed to her brain, her deep green eyes and perfect complexion.

Had she actually flirted with her? Perhaps it was a mixed signal, maybe it was just wishful thinking on her part, but it didn't feel like it. She had always been on good terms with her, but never close. Wouldn't she have been more obvious if it was meant in jest? Edelgard had never been one for social cues, but the lines here felt extra blurred. Or did she only just think that because of her own confusion?

Had she ever seen Dorothea with other girls before? Most assuredly, but she paid it no mind because she assumed it was idle chit chat, when in reality she could've been in pursuit of a partner of either sex this whole time. It wasn't unheard of, not even in Gareg Mach, as many students were openly interested in same sex relationships, but for some reason the thought never crossed Edelgard's mind. She had always envisioned the idea of a relationship as being vague, always thinking of it as with 'another person' rather than 'with a man' or 'with a woman' perhaps there was truth hidden in those vague thoughts?

She took a moment, sitting on her bed, starting at the wall, and took a deep breath. She had to focus. She had to get her head straight.

The simplest course of action here was to ask herself a simple inquiry: did she find women attractive, men attractive, both, or neither?

Well the existence of Dorothea proved the first and last inquiry moot. She knew she thought she was beautiful, but was it actual, physical, sexual attraction? Sex wasn't ever a priority for her, but it wasn't exactly something she HADNT thought about. She had thought about both men and women in a sexual context, but figured everyone did in a manner of speaking, just out of pure curiosity... though perhaps she used that excuse TOO often, come to think of it.

She figured, in principal, she could be attracted to anyone, but still couldn't quite pin it down. Was appreciation of beauty from afar without lust even possible? Or perhaps she was just weak willed when it came to that.

She had to know. She had to figure this out. She couldn't stand not knowing such a staggeringly important part of who she was. It tore her apart.

She needed answers. And she knew who to get them from.

~~~~~~~~~

Dorothea answered the frantic knocking at her door with nervous energy to match it. No one had ever woke her up at such an hour before, asleep for not even an hour, she figured something must've been terribly wrong.

She opened the door however, to find a distressed and panicked Edelgard before her. Her hair was a mess, she was breathing heavily, and looked like she was about to keel over dead.

"I'm so sorry Dorothea I-,"

"Say no more," Dorothea said, following it up with a yawn, but did her best to smile anyway, "I did say you could talk to me whenever and right now does certainly fall into that,"

She opened her door wider and motioned for her to come in. Edelgard had a plan but was thrown off seeing as she didn't expect to make it past the door without saying very much.

The room was standard fair, but it was more tidy and organized than the student quarters Edelgard had seen, including her own. Dorothea's sense of image seemed to extend to every part of her, which was certainly admirable, if a bit more intimidating. Edelgard would've felt more comfortable around someone who looked and acted just a little shy of absolute perfection.

Dorothea leaned back onto her mattress, sitting up on top of it, dangling her legs ever so slightly, a sight Edelgard had to actively rip her attention from.

"So, if you don't mind me asking," Dorothea began playfully, "What's up? I mean you're obviously more than welcome to just sit here and pass out if you want but I doubt I'll be of much help,"

She patted the space next to her, and Edelgard held herself back from lunging toward it, anxious to both be around Dorothea, and because something supporting her, even in a strange physical sense, would be an improvement. She was very much beginning to feel the repercussions of her training.

She took the seat, unable to make eye contact with Dorothea. She felt her cheeks wash over red with heat, and thus tried at all cost to remain appearing somewhat aloof, even though she was mostly sure that ship had sailed.

"Well... Dorothea, if you promise me something, I'll tell you,"

Dorothea's expression lit up a bit, even though she was still uncertain as to why Edelgard had gone to so much trouble for the sake of some advice.

"Well, what kind of promise?" She asked.

Edelgard cleared her throat.

"A promise that whatever I say stays in this room and never leaves. That if I say something foolish or absurd, we both forget about it like it didn't even happen... if that's alright with you,"

Dorothea was a bit more worried now, the smile she wore all but faded into just her most sterile of reactions, etched onto her angelic face.

"Well, sure Edie, what are friends for?"

The one-two punch of her calling the future Empress by one of her agonizingly cute pet names and calling her a friend overwhelmed her, but she had to push through.

"Of course... I just wanted to be sure. But uh, ahem. Right..."

She didn't know how to begin, was there a proper ice-breaker that came with confessions that made all these things suddenly feel like they made sense?

It didn't help that Dorothea was there in front of her, dressed in her nightly attire. This consisted of a short, plain, modest nightgown that allowed her legs to show a bit, which was still something she was wrestling with not to stare at. She looked softer, more approachable. Maybe, perhaps, that would be enough for her to gain some courage.

"Your teasing back at the training area... it prompted something in me that I find frustrating,"

"Teasing?" She asked with doe-eyed naïveté.

"You responded to a suggestion I had made. One that was rather off the cuff, I'll admit, so I won't be offended by your response. But it made me consider a lot of things that... well..."

Edelgard was fumbling this badly. She was stilted, awkward, and was struggling translating her already confusing feelings.

Dorothea placed a hand on her shoulder just like before.

"Hey, Edie, slow down, okay? No rush, just you and me here, unless you're about to tell me you're going to kill me, I promise that whatever is going on will be fine, okay?"

It must've been nice to be Dorothea. She had a way with words that blended a sense of casual flair with an elegance she could only admire from afar. She spoke so assuredly, but effortlessly. Edelgard had grown up a noble, and could speak assuredly, but never elegantly. Dorothea's years in the art and metropolitan world had done her a great service.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, only to open them, and affixed them to Dorothea. She may have lacked in some areas, but her overwhelming conviction in feelings would have to do for now.

"Dorothea I believe I might be interested in courting you," She said, immediately feeling a pang of abject horror upon finishing her sentence.

Dorothea's wide-eyed intrigue turned to even more wide shock. Both girls were entirely in disbelief that Edelgard just said that. For the first time in her life, Edelgard blushed redder than a rose, and Dorothea wasn't far behind in the pigment department.

"You mean... when I said 'who knows' you actually... considered that? Us?"

An instant red flag. It seemed to be that Dorothea may have now been infused with panic due to a misunderstanding. If that was the case, Edelgard would have to humbly walk back to her room and impale herself on whatever would get the job done.

"Y-yes... though I understand if you were merely engaging in banter but-"

She stopped, looking at Dorothea intently to see that she was doing the same, hanging on her final word like her life depended on it.

"-but I thought about what you said. And about what I wanted. And the only thing I could think about in that moment was... you," she finished.

Dorothea went from shocked to an expression Edelgard couldn't immediately pin down. The differences were so subtle, a faint shiver of the lip, her mouth opening ever so slightly, and even the increased rapidity of her breath.

The few seconds of silence proved too much for her to bear, so Edelgard doubled down.

"I do not know if you're interested in me. Or even interested in other girls at all. If I have misjudged you in any way, i apologize. Truth be told I don't know too much about all of that myself, and it's a bit frightening. I am so embarrassed to speak like this, after such a small amount of time, perhaps my day has put me in a state of vulnerability, but I want you to know I've always cared for you. I've admired your willingness to work hard, to never settle for anything less than what you want, how you came from nothing all the way here because of your talents, I am in awe of you, Dorothea. I think I always have been, it just took a small push to realize it. I also think you are very beautiful, maybe the most desirable woman I've ever seen... I just ask, perhaps, if you'd consider it. If not, I understand,"

She had spoken much longer than intended, but once the words started they just didn't end. She came off her high on the last sentence, finally letting the adrenaline burst fade and reality set in again, that reality being that she was still face to face with a rather mystified Dorothea.

"Edie... I... yes. Of course,"

It was as if the shock had passed directly from Dorothea into Edelgard, as her eyes shot open.

"You... really?" was all she could manage.

Dorothea let out a tiny giggle.

"Yeah, really," She said, looking a bit more at ease, "I'd love to give it a shot. I already really like Edelgard the fearless leader, I think whoever this newer and more honest Edie is even better,"

She punctuated her statement with a wink, finally allowing Edelgard to let out a smile of pure elation.

"I am... I am so glad to hear that. You're... you're truly wonderful you know?" She said with an amount of enthusiasm that was typically unbecoming of her.

Dorothea rolled her eyes playfully.

"Sure sure, but you're the great one. I appreciate coming and telling me all this rather than torturing yourself and waiting, trust me, that's usually worse,"

Edelgard nodded. While she had found it difficult to be sure, she couldn't imagine living on, holding in her feelings like that.

"So you think I'm desirable? Coming from Garreg Mach's most intimidating bachelorette, that's a high compliment," She said nudging her shoulder.

She let out an uneasy laugh.

"I... yes. I suppose. And that's not... an issue?"

"That?"

"The fact that I am a woman,"

Dorothea nodded.

"I see. No I've known for a long time that I don't really have a preference. Beauty is beauty, and you have some to spare, my lady," She said with a sly wink.

Edelgard felt like she was about to melt into a small puddle.

"Ah, yes. I suppose I'm still not quite yet used to it. It's not exactly something that snuck up on me but now that I'm confronted with it... it's strange. Definitely good, just, strange. Truth be told it's still hard to grapple how my attraction works,"

Dorothea cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh? How so?"

Edelgard wrinkled her brow as she spoke.

"Well.. I don't know. I certainly think you and many other women are very beautiful, desirable even. I'm just not sure how it translates into... more physical attraction,"

She felt ridiculous explaining that, like she was some kind of golem or automaton didactically explaining her feelings.

"Sexual attraction?" Dorothea asked.

Edelgard was starting to appreciate how blunt she could be. She needed that.

"Er... yes,"

Dorothea had just the slightest of grins.

"Well, Edie, not to rush into anything, but, maybe I can help a little with that?"

Edelgard audibly gulped as Dorothea shifted in place, but scooted over slightly, just in front of her, putting each hand on each of her shoulders.

"Help?" She inquired.

"Nothing crazy, and I'm not saying we have to, but, it's probably because you just aren't used to it. Thinking about girls in a sexual context at first is kinda weird, especially if you're older. I've known for a while so it's easy, but, maybe if we could try to ease your worries a bit,"

"How so?"

Dorothea smiled.

"Well, you know. Physical affection. Intimacy. It can help get past some of the initial awkwardness or hesitation. But that's just a shot in the dark, if you think we're moving WAY too fast, I understand. Cause yeah, it is a bit,"

Edelgard had to process that proposal. She certainly didn't expect it, in fact she didn't expect anything that happened in the past few minutes. But the idea was certainly tempting... sure it would be hard to get over the learning curve of how exactly this could work, but that would mean it would be less awkward later, and could allow them to progress more comfortably knowing where Edelgard stood. A ripping off of the bandage so to speak. It didn't hurt that Edelgard had been slightly bothered and flustered by the evening's events, so she was feeling a high of sorts she didn't plan on coming down from.

"Y-yes. That sounds like a good idea,"

Dorothea looked positively ecstatic. She removed her hands from Edelgard's shoulders, and instead motioned for her to sit on the right side of her bed, next to her, as she pivoted slightly, putting her head on the left side pillows. She followed suit, lying down on her side, face to face with Dorothea, who now resembled a giddy, blushing schoolgirl more than her collected self, which Edelgard found unfathomably cute.

"Okay," She said, "... hi,"

Edelgard giggled at her slight blunder, she had simply lost herself in the other girl's eyes that she didn't know what to say. Both girls let out a light laugh.

"So I assume this is the first time you've ever kissed a girl, but not your first kiss in general?"

Edelgard had to give that a moment of thought before she realized this meant she was actually going to kiss someone.

"Well, I did as a child? But I don't think that counts," She said with a slight pout.

Edelgard felt a few soft digits caress under her chin, lifting her gaze towards the beautiful girl before her.

"It doesn't matter. We're just gonna do whatever feels right until one of us gets uncomfortable. If it's too much or you need to stop, for any reason, just say so, and I'll do the same. Does that sound okay?"

It was like some kind of switch in her had been flipped. Dorothea's voice, her cadence, it was totally different from how it was normally. She spoke so softly, but with such purpose, it was, for lack of a better descriptor, insanely sexy.

Edelgard closed her eyes, remaining dormant, waiting for Dorothea to advance. It felt like she waited centuries in that tiny moment, as she nervous anticipated what the feeling would actually be like until she finally got her answer.

Dorothea leaned in, planting a firm, yet restrained kiss on her lips, that instantly incinerated Edelgard. The softness combined with the reigned in passion felt so comforting, so safe, it made her fears about the situation evaporate as if they were nothing. Dorothea parted after the both of them let out a soft moan, waiting for the entranced Edelgard to open her eyes. Once she did, she was greeted to the fabulous sight of Dorothea smiling contently.

"That was really nice, Edie. You wanna keep going?"

Edelgard could mostly just manage a nod, but that was more than enough for Dorothea to enthusiastically continue.

She went back to her lips immediately, once passed the initial tension their collision brought forth, they both felt like they sunk into the bedsheets. Things kicked up when Dorothea ran her hand through Edelgard's slightly messy hair, pushing them together ever so slightly more. Ultimately it was Edelgard who changed things up first by opening her mouth, giving Dorothea an obvious clue to rev up the intensity. She stuck her tongue in Edelgard's mouth, which had the other girl wide-eyed for a moment, but ended up quickly succumbing to Dorothea's newfound dominance. She was resistant at first, passively letting Dorothea explore her mouth, trying simultaneously to get used to the strange feeling and take in how much she was enjoying it. She was almost angered by the fact that she hadn't ever really kissed someone like this before.

She hardly even noticed how her hands seemed to travel from the other girl's shoulders down to the sides of her torso. It was so easy to forget how nice a figure Dorothea had, as her attire did a solid job of hiding it, but her nightclothes accentuated it. She was overcome with a bit of insecurity, as her own lack of figure was something that she wrestled with constantly, one of the many things that kept her bound to being single for the longest time despite her interests lying elsewhere. She'd look at herself with hate one day, and mere dissatisfaction the next day. She was rather scrawny for someone who trained and worked as hard as she did, having toned rigid muscles that didn't really do much for her almost sickly original frame. Her armor did it's best to obscure these perceived faults, but she worked hard partially due to her desire to fill out in some way. Her self image was that she looked like a stone statue, and not a particularly attractive one either. She hated how she looked, but right now, that didn't matter in the slightest. Dorothea's seeming interest seemed to cast that aside. She no longer felt undesirable when Dorothea touched her, like the cold ice queen she was often perceived as.

Dorothea was warm. Her skin was soft. And as Edelgard ran her fingers gently down her torso, she began to feel a lot more hot and bothered as she progressed. She wasn't often aroused, but she certainly knew when a wave of it was about to wash over her. Her hand gripped onto Dorothea's waist like they were riding on a horse that was about to gallop away. As if on cue, Dorothea's other hand edged out beneath her and caressed her collarbone, and dipped slightly lower onto her training attire.

Dorothea then broke the kiss, allowing both girls to catch their breath. It took a moment for them to even open their eyes, but once they did, they were greeted by the splendid sight of the other girl looking their way, slightly messy, but infinitely adorable in their own way. Edelgard always looked like she was a woman about to be placed into a gorgeous painting, so seeing her, cheeks flushed, hair messy, and obviously excited was a treat. And to Edelgard, the sight of Dorothea's normal picture of controlled but still effortless poise to be thrown off slightly was wonderful. She no longer saw someone desirable and unattainable, she saw a person who wanted her. And the want was mutual, which made everything all the better.

"Oh... wow," Dorothea breathed out.

Neither girl had taken their hands of the other, even amidst their intermission. In fact, Edelgard had subconsciously moved her hand down a few inches, now caressing Dorothea's shapely rear. It took both girls a second to even realize that, but neither spoke much about it. Dorothea's attention was affixed elsewhere.

"Do you-"

"Yes," Edelgard interrupted.

She wasn't even entirely sure what she was agreeing to do, but she didn't care in the slightest. In that moment, that night, in the middle of all her confusion, she found clarity. She would've moved a mountain for Dorothea.

Despite this, she sat up slightly, and began to remove her clothes. Her slightly sweat dampened casual training top, which was more for comfort than anything else, came off swiftly over her head, peeling away from her collarbone. It was liberating, as the garment felt like it had been restraining her. She did the same to her leggings, which were slightly more difficult, and entailed a lot more fidgeting, which Dorothea couldn't help but giggle at, seeing the future empress make tiny frustrated noises was unspeakably adorable. That earned a hard blush from Edelgard's already red face.

She sat there with nothing on but a bra and her undershorts, trying to forget how much she couldn't stand to look at herself, focusing on how she just wanted to make Dorothea happy that evening for lending her direction in regards to several untied knots in her life. Dorothea looked as if she was about to get up and do the same, but for a moment she did nothing but sit there and admire.

"Hot damn Edie, I gotta admit I haven't exactly thought about what was going on under your armor, but now I don't think I'll be able to think about anything else," She said slyly.

Edelgard tried to brush it off, her hand reaching back and nervously rubbing the back of her neck.

"O-oh no. It's really nothing special... truth is I've always thought I looked rather... unsightly,"

Dorothea's mouth hung open.

"Unsightly? Edie... absolutely not,"

Her eyes widened as Dorothea sat up on her knees, just a few inches from her.

"Let's start here," She said, fingers brushing against her legs, "I think you could kick a hole through the walls of Garreg Mach, you've got great muscle tone, and you you've got thighs I'd kill for,"

Edelgard couldn't lie, the validation was like a drug to her. It wasn't even the compliments, it was the earnestness that Dorothea delivered them with. She wasn't bullshitting her, and her casual tone made everything feel that much.. safer.

"Next we have these," Dorothea said, fingers lightly dancing across her stomach, causing her to get goosebumps and recede slightly, "I think even the boys would be jealous of these abs. Super hot,"

Edelgard sincerely worried that she was about to wake up and find out this entire ordeal was a dream. She had been called many things, 'hot' was never one of them.

Dorothea then brought her attention to her arms and forearms, placing each hand on each of her arms.

"You've got biceps that could crush a skull," She said giving them a light squeeze, discovering Edie's body seemed to have the density and smoothness of carved marble.

Edelgard had resorted to looking at the bedsheets now, making eye contact felt impossible.

"Now," she placed her hands on each of her breasts, earning a slight gasp, to which almost caused Dorothea to retreat, fearing she had done too far, but Edie leaned in slightly, and out her hands back onto them, nodding, finally connecting their gaze. Dorothea's hands were so warm, and Edelgard suddenly became aware of how she had gone from aroused to overwhelmingly wet in a matter of seconds.

"-personally, I think big boobs are a little overrated. It's more about proportion than size," she said, giving them a light squeeze, getting a small gasp from her partner, "yours are perfect,"

She then dragged her finger at an agonizingly slow rate up from her breasts to her neck, taking a hold of the girl's chin and staring into her eyes lustfully,

"And lastly we've got this. The face of the most beautiful empress Fodlan will ever see," she concluded, leaning in for another deep kiss.

Edelgard took no initiative, letting it happen and trying to absorb the moment, so she could use it for the rest of her life. She wanted to hear Dorothea's perfect sing-songy voice all the time. Every day. When she was happy it would make her joyous, when she was sad she knew it could uplift her. She had been so used to having the power in a given situation, being a born leader, but now she wanted nothing but to surrender to the songstress before her. She was putty in the woman's hands, and she wouldn't have had it any other way.

Dorothea broke the kiss, and sat back a bit, leaving Edelgard to look at her on her knees. She outstretched her legs, and put her hand up her night dress, instantly earning Edie's attention, pulling down her undergarments, and tossing them onto the floor.

The reality hit Edelgard. This was really about to happen. She had no objections, but it was nonetheless nerve wracking. However, Dorothea saw the hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

"Hey, Edie, we don't have to keep going. This is about you. And making you comfortable. We can always wait, you know,"

She appreciated her concern, but shook her head.

"No... I've never wanted anything more I just... is this the first time you've done this?"

Dorothea blushed a bit.

"Admittedly, uh, no. Not really at least. I fooled around with some of the girls back in my songstress days. It was nothing intense or serious, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't done a few things before. I'm far from an expert, and I have no idea if I'm any good, most of my experience came from adolescent curiosity. But there's a lot I haven't done..."

Dorothea then tugged upwards at the shoulder straps of her clothing, and pulled it off, revealing herself to be completely naked. Edelgard could do nothing but stare at the woman in awe.

Dorothea then rejoined Edelgard, sitting up on her knees, right in front of her, and held both hands in both of Edelgard's. It was all she could do not to remain slack jawed.

In many ways the girl was her exact opposite. Less rigid, more curvy. Less muscle tone, more smoothness, bigger breasts, but still proportioned with the rest of her. Her outfit did really do wonders to cover all of that. She had shaved somewhat recently, only faint traces of darkened auburn public hair below her waist. Edelgard could even see the curve of her ass sticking out behind her. It almost rendered Dorothea's compliments pointless, but she remembered the girl's conviction when she spoke. The mention that she had engaged in sexual activity beforehand made her feel a bit more secure, since one of them had some experience, but it was also an incredible turn on, imagining Dorothea like that.

She pulled Dorothea in for a kiss, the first real sign of initiative she took, and Dorothea obliged happily. There was no chasteness in this one like their first, this was fueled by a scorching, mutual lust for the other. It was nothing but the collision of tongues and muffled moaning into the others mouth. Edelgard rested her arms on Dorothea's shoulders, and Dorothea's hands ventured downward, to Edelgard's waist. As they continued to make out, she slowly slid them up, eventually matching her lover's pose, arms on shoulders, but instead pulled her in even more, hands meeting behind her back and grabbing the other side of her bra, unhooking it swiftly. Definitely wasn't the first time she had done that.

Edelgard felt a cold rush of air against her chest, stiffening her nipples as she shuddered.

"You okay baby?" Dorothea asked.

Edelgard had to open her eyes, as well as process that she had been called 'baby' by someone. But she opened them, and was greeted to Dorothea's beautiful face.

"Y-Yeah, I just... Yeah I'm okay,"

Dorothea leaned in, her mouth only inches from Edelgard's ear.

"Just tell me if I need to slow down... but just between us, I'm really glad we decided to do this. If you left after talking to me, I'd be touching myself for hours,"

Her whisper combined with her the increased huskiness of her still melodious voice absolutely broke Edelgard. She had never been more willing to fuck someone in her entire life, which wasn't saying too much, but the gap was certainly wide.

Dorothea grabbed Edelgard's hands, and in a total reversal of what she'd done earlier, placed them on each of her own breasts carefully. Edelgard felt like she was going to pass out.

For a moment they simply stood there, until Dorothea let out a slight chuckle as Edelgard was transfixed.

"Feel them. I want you to touch me. As much as you want,"

Edelgard still hadn't quite snapped out of it, but did as she was told. She squeezed them slightly, getting a deep sigh from Dorothea as she began to massage them. They were soft, warm, and just felt very nice to be in contact with. She suddenly understood men's fixation with them. Dorothea simply sat there, reveling in the touch, as it had been some time since anything like this had happened.

Edelgard wasn't sure what she was doing, or if she was doing it well, but she simply continued because it was enjoyable, and hardly noticed the other girl's movements until she came into contact. Now Dorothea began to caress Edelgard's breasts at the same time, kneading them like dough. She immediately understood the appeal, as her touch was gentle, stimulating her nerves almost all over her body. It was a lovely feeling.

After a few minutes, Dorothea pulled back with her hands but in for a kiss again, Edelgard didn't let go though, making the lean in somewhat awkward, but it worked nonetheless. She heard the girl giggle, causing her to open her eyes once again, abandoning her surrender.

"Glad you like em," she said coyly.

Edelgard retreated, putting her hands at her side.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away,"

She leaned in and gave Edie a peck on the cheek.

"Nothing to be sorry for. It's nice and-"

"I have no idea what I'm doing," Edelgard interrupted.

Dorothea looked like she was about to say something, and then stopped, looking to the side. After a few seconds of pondering, she looked back at the other girl.

"Hm... Take of your underwear Edie, gimme a sec,"

Edelgard nodded and did as she was told once again, still not taking her eyes off her partner. Dorothea then turned around, and began to fumble with her pillows, stacking them strategically, one atop the other. Edelgard couldn't help but look at her ass as she turned around, now on all fours, which was as perfect as the rest of her. The view lent her a glimpse of her now glistening pussy, which set her off even more, as she eagerly ripped away her wet undergarments, which elicited a minor whine from her as they seemed to be stuck a bit, clinging to her momentarily, and slowly brushing against her most sensitive area as they were slid off. She threw them onto the floor, and then looked back at Dorothea, who was now facing her again, back against the headboard of the bed with the pillows behind her. Her legs were spread open, leaving lots of room in front of her.

She patted the space, signaling her to come over.

"Sit here, back facing me, okay?"

Edelgard could only nod, as the various possibilities of what was about to happen ran through her head. She was vastly lacking in knowledge when it came to sex and positions, much less ones of the more sapphic nature.

She did so, crawling over to her, situating herself comfortable in front of Dorothea, back to her, settling against her so that she could feel her sizable bust pressed against her back, an oddly euphoric feeling. Dorothea put one hand on her chin, and the other on her thigh.

"Spread your legs a bit," she whispered.

She obeyed, mimicking her position the best she could, legs almost intertwining with Dorothea's. She then turned Edie's head to the side a bit more, pulling her towards her so that she could plant a kiss on her lips. A deep, passionate expression of desire that ripples throughout both of their bodies. Her hand then drifted over to the tuft of thin silver hair above her womanhood, teasing her slightly with delicate fingers.

"You ready?" She asked once she pulled away from Edelgard.

She nodded eagerly.

Dorothea then resumed the kiss, but far more aggressively, opening their mouths once again, tongues caressing each other.

Just when she was about to go insane from the teasing, Dorothea began to stroke the lips of her pussy slowly, building up a steady rhythm that increased in speed very gradually. It was so much better than any of the few times Edelgard had touched herself, infinitely so. She began rubbing her rapidly, causing Edelgard to loudly moan as her hips lightly bucked into her lover's hand, practically begging for more.

She felt the need from Edelgard's noises, and then preceded to finger her. Edelgard maintained the kiss, but her mouth opened even wider, as the waves of pleasure cascaded over her entire body. Her thumb was firmly placed against the silver haired girl's clit, now slipping two fingers inside her, pumping steadily as her moans increased in volume. The feeling of someone else inside her proved to be intoxicating, a feeling so good she didn't even think possible.

Dorothea felt the inner walls of the girl's pussy contract and tighten around her fingers. Her small figure was very telling of how tight she was, if not for her being so wet, using two fingers would've proved impossible. Dorothea herself was reaching similar heights of arousal. While she wanted nothing more than Edelgard to take charge and do the same to her, she needed to make the girl cum. There was nothing more important in the world than that, hearing her loudly moan as she writhed in desperate carnal need for the woman.

Eventually, the barrier was broken, the threshold was breached, and Edie then froze into place, breaking the kiss officially, head turning to the ceiling, legs pressed into the mattress firmly, almost getting her off of the bed as she silently exclaimed. Vague, animalistic noises escaped her in desperate need to escape her. Her pussy was overcome with a warm, enveloping sensation that plummeted out of her, as Dorothea relentlessly fingered the girl to an enormous climax, not letting up on her clit in the slightest. A thin liquid began to drip slowly out of her as she slid downward into the other girl's lap. She couldn't do anything but heavily breathe, wiping away sweat from her forehead. The exhaustion from her training earlier hadn't impaired her until that moment, but even then, it was mostly just because of the rush she had from the orgasm. Her head leaned back, as she rested it on Dorothea's shoulder, allowing the other girl to kiss and lightly suck at her neck for a short duration. Dorothea then took her hand from inside the girl, to where she had came beneath her, costing her already wet fingers, and brought it to Edelgard's eye level. She teasingly our both fingers in her mouth, licking them clean, making Edelgard's pussy quiver with anticipation again, like nothing had even happened.

"Dorothea... I... That was... I don't think I've ever felt better,"

Dorothea shot her a wink and another peck on the cheek as she looked down at her face.

"Only the best for you, Edie,"

Edelgard would've blushed again if the blood in her body weren't currently pooled in one main location. Despite being pushed past the point of exhaustion, she knew that couldn't be the end of their night. Not after all that Dorothea had done for her. She didn't know a lot of things, but she knew, at least in theory, a way to repay and please the woman who had given her the best pleasure she'd ever known.

Unexpectedly, she leaned forward, hand pressed against Dorothea's chest to keep her pressed against the headboard as she wrinkled her brow. She turned around to face the woman and was greeted with an intimidating, but alluring sight. She was so wet she was dripping, both from between her legs and from the accumulation of sweat from her forehead. She looked slightly tired, and truth be told Edelgard didn't know how long they had been having sex, it could've been ten minutes, it could've been an hour, but the night wasn't over yet.

"Edie you don't-"

She pressed a finger against her lips.

"I want to, Dorothea. Please..."

She took the finger away, and Dorothea's expression softened. Even after the long day she had, Edelgard was willing to be a generous lover... even if she was going to indulge a bit first.

She crawled to her, one hand on the bed to keep her propped up, as she brought be mouth to Dorothea's breast, kissing it lightly until she began to suck at her nipple. Her freed hand massaged the other breast, and she loved the feeling of one boob in her palm, the other in her mouth, the best of both worlds. And from the sounds Dorothea made, it was good for her too.

Just as she settled into place, Edelgard let go and pulled her mouth away from her, as Dorothea whined softly, but immediately ceased when she saw Edelgard move further downward.

Edie stares at the sight before her, one she thought she'd perhaps never see. Dorothea's shaven, dripping wet pussy, looking like a flower in full bloom. Seeing it like that, in that moment, she was overcome with a desire she never thought she had. A visual that immediately lit a fire in her. To satisfy. To touch. To taste.

Edelgard barely hesitated, diving into Dorothea quickly but with intent, which still surprised the girl on the receiving end. She began to eat her out using just her tongue, which proved to be enough, even with her minimal experience. She licked in between her lips, sliding her tongue in as far she could, dragging it up and down, in and out, as her mouth totally enveloped Dorothea, who was rapidly gasping, making no attempt to be as quiet as Edelgard managed. She may have been inexperienced, but she was doing something right. She pressed in further, diving in and tasting the girl, which was like a combination of the taste of her skin, sweat, and something else. Something sour and tangy but distinct all it's own, followed by an aftertaste of sweetness that Edie found addicting. She could've done it for hours, it just felt so satisfying, especially as Dorothea became wetter, coating her face in a thin liquid the more she licked.

Eventually she brought her finger up, not to penetrate, but to cast aside her lips so she could dive straight into the clit with more ease. She licked it, teasing it, getting Dorothea to freeze just as she did, but resumed her loud moaning when she began to suck.

"Fuck... Edie... Edie please don't stop. Please God... fuck,"

Her profanity laden pleas were just further incentive go faster, to do so with increased force. She wasn't skilled, but she was tenacious and didn't give up, which proved to matter far more in the art of lovemaking.

Eventually Dorothea's body stiffened until it once again froze, until it limply became relaxed. She came, with much more ferocity than Edelgard had, an increased volume of liquid erupting from her, which at first simply began to cover Edelgard's face, until she opened her mouth attempting to one up Dorothea's earlier display, swallowing and drinking whatever came from her. She never thought herself to be so lewd, but found that actually experiencing sex altered that perception.

Dorothea crumped into the sheets, sliding downward until she was lying on her back, Edelgard giving way as she made room, lying down next to her exhausted partner. Much to her delight, Dorothea had barley looked at her before she opted in on kissing her, both girls tasting themselves on the other in a very different sort of post coital kiss. Finally they simply stared at each other, as Dorothea ran her fingers through Edelgard's hair.

"Edie... you were so good," she said, breaking the silence.

Edelgard smiled with a bit of pride.

"Thank you. I'm glad to see my lack of experience didn't hinder your enjoyment,"

Dorothea shook her head.

"I've never been eaten out before... I don't have much to compare it too, but that was the best orgasm I've ever had,"

Edelgard blushed.

"I did my best," she said somewhat sheepishly, which would've turned Dorothea on even more had she any energy left.

"How about we just sleep now, rest up. How's that sound?" She asked the silver haired girl.

"I'd like that. Maybe we can make this a regular occurrence?" She asked hopefully.

Dorothea laughed as she began to pull the sheets out form under them to cover them up.

"Of course, Edie. Hell, we've had a long day, who knows how long we'll have to spend in bed tomorrow to recuperate?" She asked slyly.

Edelgard smiled, kissing her new girlfriend on the lips.

"As long as it means spending time with you, love,"

She leaned in, putting her head in the crook between Dorothea's shoulder and neck. The two cuddled for a few minutes, before they each had the best night's sleep of their entire lives.


End file.
